BWW Reviews: Music Circus Provides a 'Loverly' MY FAIR LADY

Music Circus opened its 2015 season Tuesday evening with Glenn Casale's enchanting production of the Lerner and Loewe classic "My Fair Lady." Casale's direction and Bob Richard's choreography scatter gems of endearing humor throughout. At three hours, the show drags at times, but the lengthy dialogue and excellent character development also find a forte in California Musical Theatre's production.

Professor Henry Higgins picks flower girl Eliza Doolittle off the streets of London and teaches her to speak proper English and act like a lady. They clash heads along the way and form an unlikely friendship, each supported by his or her opposite. The indomitable Paul Schoeffler matches a magnetic strength with English flair and stubborn sarcasm as Higgins, but softens for a moment in a tender version of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face." Glory Crampton excels in Eliza's famous cockney accent, often amusingly mumbling to herself and then lashing out in sudden defense. But it is Crampton's glorious transformation that steals this production. She has an elegant air about her that beautifully turns into confidence and self-realization.

Crampton and Schoeffler make an exceptional pair in numbers such as "The Rain in Spain." Of course, Music Circus also treats audiences to favorites "I Could Have Danced All Night" and "Get Me to the Church On Time." The ensemble has little to do in "Fair Lady," but they leave a strong impression with heavenly harmonies for "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and the "Ascot Gavotte." And Sacramento also gets the Broadway treatment with the incredible voice of Jason Forbach as Freddy Eynnsford-Hill, a young gentleman with an adorable fondness for Eliza, and the fun capers of Stephen Berger as Eliza's father. Marcy Froehlich provides stunning costume designs from rags to riches, and scenic designers Scott Klier and Jamie Kumpf pay wonderful attention to detail.

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MY FAIR LADY
Through June 14
Music Circus
http://www.californiamusicaltheatre.com/

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